You Must be from Brooklyn Heights If…

We found the list of things that you “associate yourself with” if you’re from Brooklyn Heights from the BH Facebook group quite interesting. Items include “if you know Cobble Hill Cinema will let you in as a child even if you’re 40″, “If you’ve played suicide or handball in Love Lane” and “Nelson the Bum”. Full list after the jump.

If you live in Brooklyn Heights, you must associate yourself with some of the following things: 1- If you lived here, live here, go to school here, work here, or just know how awesome it is. 2- If you know where Joralemon street is, 3- If you know where Ho-Bags is, 4- If you know what the 2 step is (right near 142 Joralemon) 5- If you hang out on the promenade, 6- If you know that Court Street Stadium 12 is overpriced, 7- If you know Cobble Hill Cinema will let you in as a child, even if your 40, 8- If you have no need to drive a car anywhere, 9- If you’ve ever read Motherless Brooklyn, and knew every street he mentioned. 10- If you’ve been to the floating pool, 11- If you either love/hate the old fashioned roads on certain blocks near the promenade. 12- If you go to Saint Anns, or Packer 13- If you know that St Anns and Packer hate each other, 14- If you know the St Anns Ice-cream man, 15- If you know that the Beastie Boys came from here, (2 of them at least) 16- If you know the Packer store (also known as the underground deli) (ALSO known as Harrys), (ALSO ALSO known as the sunny deli) 17- If you constantly run into people you know, 18- If you’ve ever noticed groups of tourits traveling around in packs with a tour guide. 19- If you know that homeless guy with the beard that offers to clean up the leaves and snow for $10. 20- If you hate the astroturf at Cadman Plaza Park 21- If you can pronounce Montague, Joralemon, or Schermerhorn street 22- If you know that St. Charles burnt down 23- If one or more of your teachers lives near you 24- If you know about the Atlantic Antic 25- If you spend more time on your friends stoops then inside 26- If you’ve played suicide or handball in Love lane. 27- If you constantly take the A,C, R,M, 2,3,4,5, or F train 28- If you’ve ever noticed that the 50 (or 100?) year anniversary banner on St. Charles is nearly a decade old. And they just took it down. 29- If you feel like you belong to this group 30- If you know where Squibb Hill is and hung out there on the grass with your friends all night long, watching traffic on the BQE for hours while drinking beer and arguing semantics. 31- If your grad party ended up under the Brooklyn Bridge. 32- If you know the secret spot under the Manhattan Bridge on the broken pier (where Charley made his film) 33- If you ever written in the sand under the Manhattan Bridge. That gross, gross sand. 34-Sydney Place hands down had the craziest residents in the neighborhood. 35-Garden Place was the best on Halloween. (Fried doughnuts, yummm) 36-Nelson the Bum 37-The old Hotel Bossert Bar. 38-The Dirty Deli 39-Queen Pizzaria when it was next to the XXX movie theater on Court Street. 40-The filming of Prizzi’s Honor 50-St. Ann’s theater on fire. 60-The Promenade Restaurant. 61-If you think fascatis is the best slice on earth. 62-Cammarerri Brothers Bakery as a character in Moonstruck. 63-Moonstruck a cinematic tour de force because it was filmed all over the Heights. 64-If you called Squibb Hill Suicide Hill too. 65-If you shoplifted from Silvers (or Joe Mels as some may call it) 66-If you ever hung out under the over. had to add that one. 67-The most amazing ice cream place ever was Peters. Until it closed. 68-If you ever happened to walk all the way down Joralemon to that apartment complex thing, and done some stuff you probably shouldn’t have. 69-If you’ve ever walked over buildings via rooftops.

70. “Snowball”, the shopping dog. Amazing animal, would go to the store two blocks away at Hicks and Middagh to pick up his owner’s order – wouldn’t give anyone a second look, but stopped and looked both ways at every corner. Australian Shepherd I believe.

71. The Texaco station at the foot of “Suicide Hill” on Fulton St, ice cold Cokes for a nickel.

Even though I never shoplifted there, thanks for reminding me of the name Jo(e)Mel’s, the variety store that sold greeting cards, toys, stationery, candy, magazines and whatnots. It was on Montague St near Teresa’s, where the wine shop is now. Mel also worked at Variety Mart, the second hardware store on Montague St in the 80’s.

bornhere

The REAL Silver’s, aka Mel’s, was on Montague, across from Key Food, where the Asian restaurant is now. By the time it had moved to near Teresa’s, those of us who had grown up buying “Spauldeen’s” and 5-cent candy bars, were already whining to our own kids about the true, glory days of Silver’s.

bornhere

And I’m not so sure Mel (or anyone other than family members) ever worked at Variety Mart.

lifer

Thats where I bought my Star War figures and Adventure People

Teddy

72. You have happy memories as a child going to the Burger King on Montague.

Andrew Porter

#73. Picketing Pillsbury so when Burger King came to Montague (where Banana Republic is now) it was the classiest looking one in the chain.

nabeguy

John, I didn’t think there was another soul alive who remembers “Snowball” and his trips to the deli (owned first by the Schlemers, then the Milans, then it was Hick’s Bros Deli). The only times he was distracted from his duties was when he was trying to hump your leg. All-black coat, hence the name Snowball. Do you remember his owner? And you forgot to mention the best thing about the nickel Cokes…they were in bottles! You stumped me on the Plymouth Coffee Shop…where was that?

BH

It’s SIDNEY place, not Sydney. Are you sure you’re from Brooklyn Heights?

nabeguy

74. You remember Lee Powell, who stoked the coal-burning furnace and single-handedly shovelled the sidewalks of P.S.8 And his best friend Martin, super of 55 Hicks St. who always had an unlit cigar in his mouth that never was longer than 3 inches.

Homer Fink

>>>>It’s SIDNEY place, not Sydney. Are you sure you’re from Brooklyn Heights?<<<<

Yeah, we cut and pasted that directly from the Facebook post. Sorry but our copy editor is in rehab this month.

stimpson

THE GOGGLE BROTHERS!!!!!!!!!

bornhere

#75 (or 76 — Goggle Brothers IS a must-know): Sauntering in to the Towers Hotel to watch the elegant dinners from the balcony?

Melissa

Years ago, my husband swore he saw a dog carrying soup and often I tease him about what I figured was a hallucination. I guess he’s finally vindicated. Thanks for clearing that up.

cmm

Lol at Jo-Mel’s and the St. Charles banner, and hell yes to Fascati’s, but SOME of us (especially if you grew up in the Cadman Towers or Concord Village or Peaks Mason Mints or if your dad was the super of a building) went to P.S.8!!!

SidneyPlaceguy

And why, pray tell, are the people on Sidney place considered crazy? My guess is whoever wrote the original article was from Packer or St. Anns and loved to hang out in groups on someone’s stoop who got fed up with cleaning up after them.

Other than that, perhaps the fact that at one time we had not one but TWO fraternities on the block (one next to the convent) who would throw ridiculous parties (we’re down to one now) with no regard for living in a community. That could drive anyone crazy.

Oh, and how did they miss Ebingers?? And getting your first pair od shoes at Indian Walk. And the fact that everyone called Abraham and Straus “A and S’s.” Oh dear, I’m dating myself.

Heightsin80’s

The Wyld Fire topless club… I think it was on Clark St, adjacent to the subway station. Anyone remember it? How about the Su Su’s Yum Yum truck… Or the record store on Montague near where Jennifer Convertibles is now. And Chuan Yuan, the restaurant above what is now Andy’s on Montague and Henry.

Lisa

Anyone remember the stores Meuneirs (sp?) or Netties, or Mr. Goldstein and his son, Howard, who ran the drug store, first on the SW corner of Montague and Hicks and then the NE corner?

Lisa

By the way, item #50: St. Ann’s theatre on fire, reminds me that in the 60’s when I went to Packer we had an incident with a student pyromaniac who was setting fires around the school including in the chapel.

John Wentling

Nabeguy:

I lived at the Margaret, Snowball’s owner was the manager of the apt. building at 87 Columbia Heights, lived in a basement apt. I think. Sometimes Snowball would just sit out front by the cellar stairs – loved that dog.

Sounds like we’re of the same generation (I’m 51, grew up in the Heights from roughly `58-`73), I remember our little ventures to the “5 & Dime” on Montague – you didn’t know Gus and Chris, or their sister Helen (wow!) did you? Parents owned the Greek rest. on Cranberry and Henry. The variety store on the corner as well? Melanie, who lived on the first floor in the apt. bldg. at 81 Cranberry? Lol, my true love as a kid, used to sit on her apt. stairs on Sunday morning waiting for her to come home from church. Played stoop ball behind the Margaret on the steps of the brownstone, Willow and Orange.

You oughta email me, sounds like we’d make great nostalgic penpals. I was the neighborhood terror until my Mother sent me to military school. :)

John Wentling

Egads, almost forgot a real good one – the “Pam Pam” restaurant on Henry? Remember when the liquor store in the St. George was a luncheonette? Got me hooked on sugar-free fountain sodas, but had the best malted in the world.

sue

Lisa, I just mentioned Nettie’s on another comment string, regarding what was there before Burger King (now Banana Republic), it was an “old lady” department store with hats and scarves… I remember the name Muniere’s but not the store. Anyone remember Crocus (where Tango clothing store is now)? They had these tiny rubber animals that I was wild about collecting!

sue

Heightsin80’s — I definitely remember the record store, bought Andy Gibb and ELO 45’s there, as well as buttons and patches… and I think they had video games as well (although my usual video game hangout was Scottie’s on Henry Street — I virtually lived there.) Better than the SuSuYumYum truck was the actual restaurant on cranberry and henry, best and cheapest chicken wings, and fireworks on New Year’s Eve.

Lisa

Sue, thanks for remembering the correct spelling of Muniere’s. It was like the Clay Pot (a store on the Slope); it sold hand made stuff (jewelry, etc.) as I recall. The owner was Paul Muniere and it was located next to the Variety Mart. I also remember the store name, Crocus but not so much the products.

And what about the China Tea Cup? I think it was the first chinese restaurant in the Heights. Based on the headaches my mother would have after eating there, I’m pretty sure MSG was the primary ingredient in every dish.

John Wentling

The “first”, and best in my humble opinion, was the Chinese restaurant in the Bossert. Short ribs to die for. Mexican joint across the street next to the other hotel (for the life of me can’t recall the name, lived there for a couple of months in `60.)

I think the Pam Pam was where Fascati’s is, or perhaps the Chinese restaurant next door. Bought my Beatles .45’s/LP’s on Fulton St. Shopped at A&S, Thom McCann and Martin’s, saw “Planet of the Apes” at the Duffield, had to sneak in though, it was originally rated “R”.

After acting out, spent an hour in the “dungeon” at the old 8-4 on Poplar – learned my lesson, more or less. Beat cops were a different – and better – breed then.

bornhere

Lisa- I think you’re right(er) on Meunier’s spelling :) And it was “The New China Teacup.” I’m not sure there was ever any other. And WAY before Chuan Yuan was Stuff ‘n’ Nonsense, a very cool clothing store run by a “beatnik” couple.

GHB

“Planet of the Apes” was rated R? It’s not like the monkeys ran around naked. They were actually really well dressed!

John Wentling

It was originally rated “R”, they wouldn’t let me in (I was 12?) so my friends opened the side door for me. :)